Kind Of Blue (red cap) wins the Champions Sprint

James Fanshawe has Kind Of Blue on track for Sprint Cup at Haydock

Horse Racing

Sun August 09, 2026 · 2d ago

James Fanshawe hopes enough rain falls in time to give stable star Kind Of Blue the best chance of making it third time lucky in next month’s Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock Park.

The Newmarket handler admits that the son of Blue Point is likely to swerve the Group Two Visit Malta Hungerford Stakes at Newbury on Saturday in favour of the six furlong Group One, which he has finished second in for the past two seasons, on September 6th.

After finding only Elmonjed too strong in the Group Two Go Local Minster Stakes at York on his return, the Wathnan Racing-owned five-year-old then finished down the field on ground which was too quick in the Group One Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

But Fanshawe believes that Kind Of Blue can bounce back to his best at the Merseyside venue next month, provided the conditions are in his favour.

Fanshawe said: “We are looking at going back to Haydock Park for the Sprint Cup as opposed to the Hungerford Stakes.

“I thought he was a bit unlucky in the Sprint Cup last year. Hopefully we will have had some rain by then.

“He never got into it at Royal Ascot, but we would love to see some rain for him, however he ran a good second at York on his return though.

“If it does rain then I’m sure he will give a good account of himself.”